Celtics Get (good) Runaround From Bird

WALTHAM, Mass. — Guess who was running around with the rest of his teammates at Celtics practice Thursday morning? Warning: This is something of a trick question.

Yes, Larry Bird ran around. But just for a few wind sprints. And only after some light shooting and some heavy watching. He didn't participate in the spirited scrimmage at Brandeis University.

Bird, sidelined since April 5 because of back pain, has stepped up his conditioning, but he's still listed as day-to-day.

"Larry's the same," said Celtics trainer Ed Lacerte, who was taken aback by a Boston-area television report that claimed Bird suffered a "setback" in his latest attempt at rehabilitation. The report was erroneous, Lacerte said.

"Larry has been running laps for a while," Lacerte said. "This is just the first time he has run [in view of the media]."

There was other, more encouraging news Thursday. Point guard Dee Brown, out with a virus since April 10, went through a second consecutive practice at full speed.

"I would think he'd be ready," said Celtics coach Chris Ford, whose team is preparing to meet the Cleveland Cavaliers in Richfield, Ohio, Saturday at 1 p.m. in the opening game of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series.

The Celtics completed a three-game sweep of the Indiana Pacers Monday night.

Brown was guarded about his condition.

"For me to get hurt at the beginning of the season," he said, "and miss three months, and work hard to get back -- and not really get back to where I wanted to -- and then get ill at the end of the season ... It has been a rough year."

Brown, a member of the 1991 All-Rookie team, tore cartilage in his left knee and had arthroscopic surgery Oct. 30, two days before the season opener. The cartilage was repaired and not removed, making for a longer rehabilitation but a more stable knee.

Brown returned Feb. 5, and was in the starting lineup by the end of the month. He averaged 11.7 points and 5.3 assists before he contracted what his doctor called "acute viral syndrome," accompanied by sinusitis and vertigo. Brown missed the final five

games of the regular season and the first three playoff games.

Until this week, Brown had been unable to run a lap around the Brandeis track without getting dizzy. During his knee rehab, he lost 15 pounds of muscle he had added last summer; the virus took 10 more pounds off, bringing Brown down to under 160 pounds.

"It's playoff time," Brown said, "and I'm just trying to get to where I can be a contributor. When summer comes, I can start over again, work out and increase my game to where I had it last year, before I got hurt."

The Celtics have gotten along nicely without him. Counting their regular-season stretch run, they have won 11 in a row (and 18 of 19). Look for Brown to be eased into the rotation at shooting guard rather than point, which is being capably handled by John Bagley and Sherman Douglas.

"He'll probably benefit a little bit from playing alongside Sherman and Bags," Celtics forward Kevin McHale said. "I still think [Brown] is a little more comfortable at the two [shooting guard]. He's running that spot in practice and it doesn't require play-calling or ball-handling or a lot of other things. So, as he's coming back, he can just kind of filter into his old role."

Brown -- he just wants in. Anywhere.

"Things happen," Brown said, "and this was just one of those years where they happened to me.